Automatically-operated flushing system for water-closet bowls.



PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

I. G. WATERMAN. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR WATER CLOSETBOWLS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.9. 1903.

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PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905.

I. G. WATERMAN. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED PLU-SHING SYSTEM FOE'WATER CLOSETBOWLS.

AEPLIQATION FILED SEPT.9.1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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I. G. WATERMAN. AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR WATER CLOSETBOWLS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.!). 1903.

4 $HEETS-SHEET 3.

PATBNTED OCT. 24, 1905.

I. G. WATERMAN.

AUTOMATICALLY OPERATED FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR WATER CLOSET BOWLS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9.1903.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrion.

ISAAC G. WATERMAN, OF SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA.

AUTOMATICALLY-OPERATED FLUSHING SYSTEM FOR WATER-CLOSET BOWLS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, 1905.

Application filed September 9, 1903. Serial No. 172,488.

To all whom, it ntay concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC G. WATERMAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Santa Barbara, in the county of Santa Barbara and State ofCalifornia, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in AutomaticElectrically- Operated Flushing Systems for Water-Closet Bowls,ofwhichthe followingisaspecification.

This invention relates to automatic electricall y-operated flushingsystems for water-closet bowls.

In the present invention my object is to provide an improved and. novelarrangement of electrically operated valves, switches, and novelautomatically-acting mechanism whereby the flushing of a water-closetcan be accomplished at Will and continued automatically for apredetermined time.

WVith this object in view the invention embraces certain improvedfeatures of construction and novel arrangements of parts set'forth indetail hereinafter and embraced in the appended claims. I

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of theinvention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the cylinder; Fig. 3, avertical section taken at right angles to Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a diagrammaticview of a modified arrangement; Fig. 5, a vertical section of thecylinder and valve of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 avertical section taken atright angles to Fig. 5.

A water-closet bowl 1 of ordinary construction is provided with aflushing-pipe 2, leading from any source of fluid-pressure. Anelectromagnetic valve 3 controls the flow through pipe 2 to the bowl.This valve may be of the form set forth in my application filed August29, 1903, Serial No. 171,215. and consists of a solenoid or magnet-coil4 on the.

pipe 2, an armature slidable within the coil or solenoid, andnormallypressed in one direction bya spring 5, a rotary plug-valve 6,having a ratchet-wheel '7, and aspringpressed pawl 8, carried by thearmature and adapted to engage and turn the ratchet-wheel and valve whenthe solenoid is energized. Alternate energizations of the solenoid openand close the valve. A dog 9 engages the ratchet-wheel and preventsbackward movement thereof and of the plug-valve. the supply-pipe is anelectromagnetic valve 11, similar in construction and operation to thevalve 3.

Coupled to the supply-pipe 10 is a cylinder 12, having a centralpartition 13, which is provided with a stufling-box 14 and provides Onanother branch 10 of the water-compartment 15 in the lower part of thecylinder. The compartment 15 is connected at its bottom with the pipe 2by a drain-pipe 16.

Movable in compartment 15 is a piston 17, having a rod 18 workingthrough stuflingbox 14- and adjustahly connected to the piston by screw19. Secured to the end of the rod 18 is a head 20. to which are pivotedthe spring pressed pawls 21 and 22. A coilspring 23 tends to force thepiston downwardly in compartment 15.

In the upper part of cylinder 12 is an insulating-block made in twoparts 24 and 25, from which depend hangers 26, fitted in notches in theedges of the parts 24 and 25.

Journaled in the hangers 26 is a shaft 27, on Which is secured rotaryswitch-contacts 28 and 29, each composed of an insulating-disk 30 and anarmed metal contact embedded therein. The metal contact 31 has two armsand the metal contact 32 four arms.

Secured on shaft 27 is a four-tooth ratchetwheel 33, with which thepawls 21 and 22 are adapted to engage, pawl 21 engaging therewith whenthe piston is raised to its limit and pawl 22 engaging with theratchet-wheel when the piston has descended. On shaft 27 is alsofastened a polygonal hub 34, with which spring-arms 35 engage to holdthe rotary con-o tacts where turned. The contact-fingers 36 are arrangedto be engaged by the contact 31, and the contact-fingers 37 are adaptedto be engaged by the contact 32. The terminals of the contact-fingers 36and 37 are located on the block 24, to which the circuit-wires lead.

The numeral 38 represents a switch having a rotary four-point contact 39and ratchetwheel 40 and a spring-retracted push-button 41 and pawl 42.When the push-button is pressed in, the pawl engages the ratchet-wheel,

and when the push-button is released the' engages ratchet-wheel 33 andsnaps the rotary contacts 28 and 29 a quarter-revolution, which closesvalve 11 and opens valve 3. The water from pipe 2 continues to flush theWater closet bowl until the water in compartment 15 has drainedtherefrom, whereupon by the fall of the piston the pawl 22 engages theratchetwheel 33 and snaps rotary contacts 28 and 29 again; but ascontact 28 has only two points the circuit of valve 11 is not made. Thecircuit of valve 3 is made again by contact 29 and the valve in pipe 2closed, thus concluding the flushing operation. When the switch 38 isagain operated, the foregoing operations will be repeated.

Referring now to the modification shown in Figs. 4:, 5. and 6, the valve3 and circuit connections therefor are dispensed with. In place of thetwo-point contact 28 a four-point contact is employed. The drain-pipe 16leads to a packed nut 51 and communicates with a port 52, leading to theopening through the plug-valve. A by-pass 53 is made in the valve-casingand adapted to put the opening in the valve in communication with thefluidinlet pipe when the valve is closed. On operating the switch 38 thevalve is opened, and communication is cut of to the compartment 15. Thewater continues to flow and flush the water-closet bowl until the waterin compartment 15 drains out, whereupon the single pawl 22 used (pawl 21being dispensed with) snaps the rotary contact 50, and the solenoidisthen energized and the valve closed, thus stopping the flushingoperation. Compartment 15 again fills, and the above-described operationcan be repeated at will.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with aflushing-pipe, of an electrically-operated valve controlling the flowthrough said pipe, a water accumulator or'reservoir, means for supplyingthe accumulator or reservoir with water, means I for draining the waterfrom the reservoir, a

of an electrically-operated valve controlling.

the flow through said pipe, a water accumu- 1 lator or reservoir, meansfor supplying the accumulator or reservoir with water, means fordraining the water from the reservoir, a

switch and circuit connections to the electrically-operated valve, meansfor operating said switch by the draining of the water from thereservoir to thereby close the electricallyoperated valve and cut offthe supply through the flushing-pipe, and an independent handoperatedswitch and circuit connections con trolling the electrically-operatedvalve.

3. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve controlling the water-flow, of an accumulatoror reservoir, means for suplying the reservoir with water, means wherebythe Water can drain from the reservoir, a

.piston moved by the accumulation of water in the reservoir, a springtending to operate the piston against the accumulation of water, aswitch and circuit connections to the electrically-operated valve, andmeans for operating the switch by the movement of the piston, wherebythe movement of the piston operates the valve.

4:. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve controlling the water-flow, of an accumulatoror reservoir, means for supplying the reservoir with water, means fordraining the reservoir of its water, an electrically operated valve, ahand operated switch and circuit connections for electrically operatingthe valve, a piston moved by the accumulation of water in the reservoir,a switch and circuit connections for operatin the valve, and means foroperating said switch automatically by the movement of the piston tothereby automatically operate the valve.

5. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve having means for alternately opening andclosing the valve on alternate electrical energizations, a wateraccumulator or reservoir, means for supplying water to the reservoir,means for draining the water from the reservoir, a hand-operated switchand circuit connections controlling the elec trical valve, and a switchand circuit connections to the valve for electrically operating thevalve when the water drains from the reservoir.

6. In an automatic flushing-valve mech anism, the combination with anelectricallyo erated valve controlling the flow of water, of a switchcontrolling the valve, a water accumulator or reservoir, a pistonmovable in said accumulator, and a pawl operated by the piston to throwthe switch.

7. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with avalve controlling the water-flow, of an accumulator or reservoir, meanswhereby the water can drain from the reservoir, a piston moved by'theaccumulation of water in the reservoir, a spring tending to operate thepiston against said accumulation of water, and means operated by thepiston adapted to operate the valve.

8. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve controlling the water-flow, of an accumulatoror reservoir, means whereby the water can drain from the reservoir, apiston moved by the accumulation of water, a spring tendingtooperate'the piston against said accumulation, a pawl carried by thepiston, a switch operated by the pawl to close the valve when the waterdrains from the reservoir, and a hand-operated switch controlling theelectrically-operated valve;

9. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve having means for alternatelyv opening andclosing the valve on alternate electrical energizations, of a wateraccumulator or reservoir, means for supplying water to the reservoir,means for draining the water from the reservoir, a hand-operated switchand circuit connections controlling the electrical valve, and a switchand circuit connections to the electrical valve for automaticallyclosing said valve when the water drains from the reservoir.

10. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve having means for alternately opening andclosing the valve on alternate electrical energizations, of aflushing-pipe controlled by said valve, a water accumulator orreservoir, means for introducing water into the reservoir, means fordraining the water from the reservoir, a hand-operated snapswitch havingmeans for temporarily electrically energizing the valve when said switchis operated, another switch having means for temporarily electricallyenergizing the valve when said switch is operated, and means forautomatically operating the last named switch when the water drains fromthe reservoir or accumulator.

11. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with anelectricallyoperated valve controlling the water-flow, of

a water reservoir or accumulator, means for introducing water to thereservoir, means for draining water from the reservoir, a piston movedby the accumulation of water,a spring tending to operate the pistonagainst said accumulation, a switch controlling theelectrically-operated valve, and a pawl carried by the piston foroperating the switch.

12. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination withawater reservoir or accumulator, of a piston moved by the accumulationof water in the reservoir, a switch, and a pair of pawls one of whichcooperates with the switch on the movement of the piston in onedirection and the other pawl cooperating with the switch on the movementof the piston in the other direction.

13. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with awater reservoir or accumulator, of a piston moved by the accumulation ofwater in the reservoir, a switch, a pair of pawls one of whichcooperates with the switch on the movement of the piston in onedirection and the other pawl 00- operating with the switch on themovement of the piston in the other direction, and a spring tending tooperate the piston against the accumulation of water in the reservoir.

14. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with awater accumulator or reservoir, of a piston moved by the accumulation ofwater in the reservoir, a rotary switchcontact, a relatively stationarycontact arranged to be only temporarily engaged by the rotary contactwhen the latter is operated, and a pawl carried by the piston andengageable with the rotary contact to snap it first on and then oh therelatively stationary contact.

15. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with awater accumulator or reservoir, of a piston moved by the accumulation ofwater in the reservoir, a rotary switch-contact, a relatively stationarycontact arranged to be only temporarily engaged by the rotary contactwhen the latter is operated, and a pair of pawls carried by the piston,one pawl being adapted to operate the rotary contact when the piston ismoved in one direction and the other pawl operating said rotary contactwhen the piston ismoved in the other direction and said pawls snappingthe rotary contact first on and then off the relatively stationarycontact.

16. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with awater accumulator or reservoir, of a piston moved by the accumulation ofwater in the reservoir, a rotary switch-contact, a relatively stationarycontact arranged to be only temporarily engaged by the rotary contactwhen the latter is operated, a pawl carried by the piston and engageablewith the rotary contact to snap it first on and then off the relativelystationary contact, and a spring cooperating with the piston.

17. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with awater accumulator or reservoir, of a piston moved by the accumulation ofwater in the reservoir, a rotary switch-contact, a relatively stationarycontact arranged to be only temporarily engaged by the rotary contactwhen the latter is operated, a pair of pawls carried by the piston, onepawl being adapted to operate the rotary contact when the piston ismoved in one direction and the other pawl operating said rotary contactwhen the piston is moved in the other direction and said pawls snappingthe rotary contact first on and then off the relatively stationarycontact, and a spring cooperating with the piston in opposition to thewater.

18. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with aflushing-pipe, of an electrically-operated valve controlling the flowthrough said pipe, another electrically-operated valve, a switch andcircuit connections to the last-named electricallyoperated valve, meansoperated by the water-flow after the last-named valve is opened, whichmeans is adapted to close said lastnamed electrically-operated valve ata predetermined time, means to thereupon open the first-namedelectrically-operated valve to allow the water to pass through theflushing-pipe, and means operated after the open ing of the first-namedelectrically-operated valve adapted to automatically close saidfirst-named electrically-operated valve at a predetermined time.

19. In an automatic flushing-valve mechanism, the combination with aflushing-pipe, of an electrically-operated valve controlling said pipe,a second electrically-operated valve, a water accumulator or reservoirthe flow into which is controlled by the second electrically-operatedvalve, a switch for operating the second electrically operated valve,and switch mechanism operated by the movement of the water in thereservoir, said switch mechanism having circuit connections to therespective electrically-operated valves and said switch mechanism beingoperated by the movement of the water in the reservoir to first closethe second electrically-operated valve and open the firstelectrically-operated valve and, at a prede termined time thereafter,close the firstnamed electrically-operated valve to cut ofl the flowthrough the flushing-pipe after a predetermined time.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC G. WATERMAN.

Witnesses:

ELMER SEAVEY, WALLACE R. SEAVEY.

